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-   -   The KTM Duke 390 Ownership Experience Thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/138082-ktm-duke-390-ownership-experience-thread-289.html)

If monies and mileage is not an issue, do consider 390 for its abs, power and tires + other smaller brownies like cylinder coating, etc. I personally do not have any experience on D200 except for a short test ride, so cant really comment on how better it is over 390 in traffic.
But i feel 390 is not a jet plane where it cant be managed in traffic. And its not like city ride is always B2B. we do get some open stretches here and there. I bought a machismo 350 in 2008 and still repent for not buying the machismo 500.
390 initially does require some adjusting period in traffic. Even i had issues, but now i am so used to it, that traffic or no traffic, it hardly bothers. Infact after 20k kms on my 390, i feel an urge to upgrade.


INITIAL FEEDBACK on the michelin pilot street radial 150/60/17

Got this rear tyre installed last weekend. Have done about 250 kms since, so the tyre is not fully run in. It does not feel very different from the metzs in terms of handling, but does break traction sooner. i feel the rear abs kicking-in a bit sooner then stock. last night while it was raining, rear tyre did skid slightly during exiting from a corner. Dont think same would have happened on the metzs.Feels like michelins are good value at less then half the metz cost, but its important to mentally embed that one is not riding on metz before throwing the bike around. Atleast it plays on my mind.

When I got mine installed, it was right before I commenced my return ride to Bangalore from Thalaserry, Kerala. Had to spend one day extra there just so that the Michelins could be installed as the Metz surprisingly developed treads and rashes when I reached there.
So, I got the tyre installed at 8 in the morning and filled her up with N2 and off I was. Now, the 'normal' route from Thalaserry to Bangalore is extremely scenic. You need to go via place called Iritty. After this town, a road made in heaven starts. You actually climb a huge hill and then descend it to reach Hunsur. So, needless to say, the roads were full of twisties with sparse traffic. I was aware of the running in procedures, but the roads were too seductive. So, I let the bike loose at times. I was actually surprised how neatly the brand new Michelin performed on corners. More than that, it felt as if the tyre was hardly new because it felt planted and grippy at all times! I also agree with you that the ABS kicks in a tad earlier. But hey, that's a boon, isn't it?

Now, if you get a chance, ride on loose gravel or a dirt road sometime. That's when you're bound to forget the Metz. :D

barcalad, nasirkaka, why Michelin over Pirelli Sport Demons in the same size?

Has anyone tried PSDs on their 390s?

My choice was situation demanding. I was stuck in a remote town in Kerala where people were gaping at the D390 as if it was a UFO. The only decent tyre dealer in town had Michelin Pilots or MRFs. So, my choice was obvious. Eager to try out the PSDs, though. Not seen/heard any concrete reviews yet.

I read it somewhere - "What's absolute power without absolute control" and hence my choice was clear "ABS".

I never admitted this but when I sold my previous ride, my options were very simple :
1.D390
2.CBR 250r ABS
3.Apache 180 ABS

The price of D390 just took it away and I booked it on the first weekend after launch.

I tour on bikes and have lost no. of counts ABS saved me from foot in mouth situations specially with Dukes sharp brakes and Metzelers anemia on sand/ pebbles/ stone-chips which is otherwise great. CBR has better ABS technically and with linear accln. is considered the safest bike > 200 cc.

Mainly based on the feedback from fellow members here and on xbhp & an article on ridezone:
http://riderzone.in/best-tire-for-ktm-duke-390/

infact, i was in dilemma between the michelin 140/70 and 150/60. Thearticle talks only about 140/70 and how its so so swesome even pinning it higher them metzs for the rear. 140/70which also made sense from higher side profile point of view. But i settled for 150/60 as its same specs as metz and the showroom manager did mention that the compounds for both slightly differ, 150/60 being the softer.

I actually wanted to go for metzelers for peace of mind, but after checking at various places, the best price i got was 11800rs, which i felt was a bit too much for a single tyre. Also, the front will need replacement in some time, a cost to be kept in mind. I am currently in the saving mode for the upcoming scrambler (InShaAllah!). I am not a very aggressive rider and gathering from various reviews and feedback, Michelin appeared to fit the requirement. Also, they are much readily available in bangalore, compared to pirellis. so the decision.

So I finally decided that today was an auspicious day to fix the MRA replica visor and the IndiMotard bash plate, having postponed the install for quite a few weeks.

Unlike my previous misadventure, this time, but for a couple of small hiccups, it was smooth sailing.


The outgoing engine guard,



Clamps to mount the IndiMotard bash plate ( provided with the bash plate )





It was only after I had removed the stock bash plate and tried to fit the IndiMotard one did I realize that new bolts were needed for the install. Fortunately, I stock quite a decent amount of nuts and bolts, so that wasn't an issue.

The right side clamp sits flush, whereas there's a gap on the left side. Need to correct it.







Post install,
( the blue plastic bush was provided with the bash plate )







Oh.. and Uday sir, I now understand what you meant by this! He he he.. :D

The idling sounded vaguely metallic, but once I wore my helmet and the engine noise was muffled, it clearly sounded like the distant chime of many bells!
Also, the stand makes a loud 'clunk' sound now.

-----------------------------------

Now for the MRA replica visor..

Uday sir had mentioned this,

I managed to use the pre-drilled holes on the visor and mount the number plate clamp. Though the holes do appear quite far and highly mismatched, with a little bit of juggling about, they can be made to align. Needs a bit of time and patience.

But as Uday sir did, drilling additional holes might be a better bet. The visor won't be under tension then.



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I feel the bike definitely looks different now; better or worse is still something I haven't made up my mind about.. yet! :)

Hello Fellow Bikers!
They say that i ride too fast.
How do i tell them, Im just trying to extract every Km from that litre :)

Such high speed snaps are not encouraged on T-BHP. (Though one buys these beauties for that very adrenaline rush). Do exercise caution while riding and taking snaps at such high speeds.
BTW, how much did your bike cost OTR in Gurgaon?
And where is the service centre/ sales showroom located?
Thanks in advance

Finally decided to book the Duke 390. The test ride turned out to be a complete joke - on someone else's new bike (completely unethical, unprofessional if not illegal) and within the dealership's 20 yard driveway, which is ridiculous. But my main intention was not really to ride the bike but to just check if my wife would fit on the rear seat and the bike passed the test (or was it my wife who passed?).

Talking about wife and pillion seat etc, one thing struck me as odd - why do they waste money on a saree guard? Do they really expect anyone to sit on this pillion seat in a saree? They could have spent that money on something more useful.

Wanted to understand if there are things that I must check at the pre-delivery inspection stage. Is there any way I can find out if the vehicle comes fitted with slipper clutch? How does one understand the manufacturing month of a motorcycle?

The dealership of course said this batch of bikes that they have now came last week and they are fitted with slipper clutch. But I don't really trust the dealership. They will say anything to sell a bike. And this guy who I was dealing with speaks well and is very well behaved but knows nothing about the motorcycle. He was plain bluffing about most things and I was constantly correcting him on small issues like tank size or other such details. Also the fact that they showed me and even let me ride another customer's bike went quite against my grain and they have lost all credibility to me.

Another thing I wanted to ask: is there any Calcutta KTM owner here? Please PM me and let's hook up.

Every 2 wheeler that is either made or assembled in India needs to have the saree guard, by law and hence you see it everywhere, from a Victor to a Daytona !

Seriously? I didn't know this. How terribly ridiculous !!! But thanks for the clarification. I hope riding without one is not seen as an offence. Riding a motorcycle in Calcutta in your flip-flops is seen as an offence and people are getting booked for it here. This I can still understand. But a saree guard .......... beats me. clap:clap:

Every accessory which is required to register a bike in India, has to be there on the bike all the times, legally. The other day I was booked for riding my friends classic 500, without a RHS mirror. Here are some accessories, without which a cop can book your bike
1. RHS mirror 2. Saree gaurd 3. Mud gaurd 4. Stock headlamps and other lamps 5. Stock exhaust 6. Rear seat!!! 7. Grab rails 8. Stock mount points for the number plates.

Man. That is so bad. Tell them u have a reflective helmet that has a rear view camera :)

How will they know if the exhaust is stock or not?

And my bullet has 10 lights and it only helps me and others ride safe around me. None of them are high beams and everyone points to the road in front of me. Yet i am breaking the law. Some of these laws needs to be defined as required at a minimum but any enhancements that will only make it more safer should be considered as exception. Like A rear view camera or better lights, better exhaust, no rear seat(Which saves one extra life), no grab rails because there is no rear seat :)

Its hightime to re-write some of the rules, as at times we get booked for trying to be safer on road.
Bangalore(Karnataka) is got the highest road tax, and the worst roads. There is no street light even on important city roads. Roads are full not potholes and when wet, the visibility is almost none. All this leads to most of the motorists using high beam all the time in city adds to the woes. i got stopped once for using aux lights. Why would i spend 8k on additional lights if the roads were well lit?